Joe Rogan with Anthony Bourdain Podcast #138

Anthony Bourdain: So the level of luxury and development. That you see in places like China where, Jesus, this is a disfunctional government, you would think. It’s fuckin’, they’re communist for fuck sake! How come they got this? You know, this great rail system. You know. How come, their hotels are nicer than ours. How come internet coverage is better. How come i can get this. You know, 5 bars of my cellphone anywhere in China. You know, the deepest darkest valley, i mean

Joe Rogan: (laughs)

Anthony Bourdain: As in the nowhere. You start to get this terrible.., I’m an American, I’m a New Yorker, We’re the greatest country in the world, I believe this absolutely and positively. But you know, at the end of the day, it’s like I have to start thinking myself. If you know, that you know, the New York subway system You know, to say that. You know that the New York city subway system is simply not the best in the world. But it’s idiotic to pretend that it is. You know

Joe Rogan: but we held the crown somewhere. 20-30 whatever years ago it was. Whatever it was. We were the shining light of civilization. It was in 1970. Whatever year it was.

Anthony Bourdain: But we still have like the great, You know. the great weapons. We are the most powerful nation on earth. I think that is largely based on, really the danger of our culture. You know. people when introduced to rock ‘n roll will eventually topple their governments i think.

Anthony Bourdain: clearly, uhm it makes people wanna. You know, whatever it is they see. they kinda want one form or another, they kinda want some form of that.

Joe Rogan: so in your experience in all these, the countries in the world when you see all this different uhm, you know regimes getting toppled, you don’t think there’s any American in influence in this things happening?

Anthony Bourdain: i don’t think we’re that good

Joe Rogan: really? you don’t think the CIAs is that good?

Anthony Bourdain: i’ve actually, i’m a CIA nerd. I’m one of those like. I’m not a gamer but I’m a guy who back in 25 years ago started reading up on the Kennedy assasination, got completely obssessed with that and then it just got. I’m one of this guys I read footnotes, and footnotes lead to another book to another book, you know, I’ve just disappeared down the ravel all for 10 years reading everything so I’m really

Anthony Bourdain: yeah. uhm, you know, my feeling is we’re just, if history has taught us anything and if read all the documents from all the controversial periods of CIA operations. We just don’t seem to be very good at these things.

Joe Rogan: (laughs)

Anthony Bourdain: and everybody rants and writes a book about it. Immediately after it happens.

Joe Rogan: (laughs)

Anthony Bourdain: so if it went well, you can be sure you’ll be reading about it. Or been leaked to a magazine by now. You know. so i just, i don’t think

Joe Rogan: that’s so sad

Anthony Bourdain: i don’t think we’re that good. And I certainly don’t think have much of an appetite for controlling the universe. I think we’re doing it. we seem to be working, work very hard to hold the damn, uhm

Joe Rogan: So you think the speculation about the CIA being involved. Like, they’re probably very, very pheriphaly involved, and there’s just shit happening no matter what.

Anthony Bourdain: i’m sure there are major CIA operatoins going on right now without a doubt. But I think there’s this notion that there’s an office somewhere where the whole faith in the world, is sort of decided what countries they’re gonna invade in the next 10 years. uh, we’re just not that good and we’re not definitely not that secure. There’s always, you know 3 people know about somthing. Its the greatest argument about the Kennedy’s. You know, the 911 conspiracy idiots, uhm the Kennedy assassination Looney Toons. Uhm if basically in this country, if more than 3 people know about a thing, one of them is on the stand crying about it, the other guy’s gonna be writing a book about it, and maybe 2 guys will keep his mouth shut.